Dramatic and devestating blaze consumes thatched roof in minutes……

Pictures from the Oxford Mail show the devastation fire can wreak on properties with thatched roofs. Seven fire crews tackled the blaze in East Hagbourne overnight on Saturday.

“The main causes of fires are chimneys being too short, which allow embers to escape on to roofs, and heat transfer from chimneys,” said Rob Norcott, director of Thatching Advisory Services. “Prevention is the best cure.”

Firefighter Paul Webster, who was the incident commander at Hagbourne this weekend, said: “The speed at which the fire spread throughout the whole roof shows how little time people will have to think in a fire situation.

Five thatches have been destroyed by fire in Oxfordshire so far this year – in Hagbourne, Besselsleigh, two neighbouring houses at Barford St Michael in June and a home in Swalcliffe in March – compared to one in all of 2012.